Bringing School Communities to the Forefront of

Sustainable Development Action

:

Recent work & initiatives

With over 25 years of teaching and consulting experience, Peter Milne, Founder/Director of Target4Green

Educational Consultancy and Training, provides a hands-on, whole school engagement and local community

approach to supporting schools across the world in their Education for Sustainable Development and Global

Citizenship initiatives and development. Target4Green is also a Global Learning Programme CPD Provider.

Target4Green brings all elements of sustainability together in thought-provoking and dynamic ways through practical

workshops, seminars, team building, presentations, experiential learning opportunities and strategic partnerships.

We focus on Awareness, Attitude,

Analysis and Action as our approach to

training and consultancy

Overview

Mobilizing School Communities Around the World on

Climate & Sustainable Development Action

Beyond COP21 Symposium proposes to contribute a key ingredient to future success as a result of the

historic Paris talks: the mobilization of the youth and school communities.

Kick started in January 2016 in Dubai, Beyond COP21 Symposia will inspire students (11-14) and teachers in

schools across the world via a day of interactive discussions and action, around the Beyond COP21 & SDGs

agenda. The series will continue globally until 2030. The Symposium was featured in a workshop run by

Target4Green at the Eco-Schools National Operators’ Meeting in November 2016 in South Africa.

A second Symposium took place at Walhampton School, UK in June; a third at GEMS New Millennium, Dubai

in September and a fourth in February 2017 at Ahliyyah School for Girls, in partnership with Bishop’s School

for Boys and Mashrek International School in Amman, Jordan, with the Minister of Environment as a key note

speaker.

In 2018, Symposia took place at Ajman Academy, Tanglin Trust School, Singapore, American University of

Sharjah and Walhampton Prep, UK. Confirmed for 2019 and 2020 are Wellington College, Latymer Upper

School, UK, Repton School, Dubai, Tanglin Trust School, Singapore and Ahliyyah School for Girls in Jordan.

Concept: Each one day Symposium is hosted by a school or university/college/community centre, inviting 5 to

10 local schools to participate. The target ages are between 11 –14, with a total of up to 200 students taking part.

The event consists of themed high impact presentations from, and discussions with, guest speakers on the

Agenda 2030 and climate negotiations in and beyond Paris; individual & community action; pledge making and

practical activities/workshops.

Local sustainable companies and organisations are invited to showcase their initiatives and engage with

students.

Benefits for Host

Climate change action is a complex issue in itself, further complicated by the many

different perspectives from stakeholders prioritizing different values or agendas.

It is crucial that our planet’s future stewards – the youth – embrace this complexity

and own climate and sustainable development issues.

If a resolution of a such a complex, often referred to as a ‘wicked’ issue, requires changes

in the way people behave, these changes cannot readily be imposed on people.

Behaviours will be conducive to change if issues are widely understood, discussed

and owned by the people whose behaviour is being targeted for change.

The mobilization of the youth and educational communities, giving them a chance to

make their voice heard and deliver powerful messages, is an essential way to maintain

momentum, clarity, understanding and action for the SDGs and the climate

agendas.

The Beyond COP 21 Symposia provide an ideal platform for :

o Strengthening students & teachers capacity to own climate & SDGs issues

o Fostering collaboration and action across & within national/local communities

o Confronting students & teachers with experts in these issues and companies

providing solutions to local/global sustainable development issues

o Continuing and amplifying the dialogue through traditional and social media

Benefits for Host

Overview of Qualitative Impacts

Strengthen teachers’ capacity to integrate key environmental issues in their teaching

Convene environmental knowledge, awareness and inspire positive action to broad educational communities

Strengthen students’ sense of civic responsibility and their sense of global citizenship

Amplify the message through students, teachers and families sharing their experience and new knowledge with

friends, colleagues, relatives and via social media

Develop connections between educational communities, students and families across continents around common

shared purposes – building sustainable communities and a sustainable future on our planet.

Become an integral part of a global series supported by EAUC, Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots Programme and

350.org

By reaching the hearts and minds of the youth around climate and sustainability issues, each host will be a role

model in their city/region and demonstrate its support for building tomorrow’s responsible citizens and the UN’s

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) philosophy.

Being a host will form an important part of their engagement programme with local schools and will offer students

opportunities to run activities and present at the event

Launch in Dubai and media

coverage

GEMS Kindergarten Starters,

16th January 2016

Over 200 students and 30

teachers

from 7 schools

5-min opening video

message from Bill McKibben,

Founder of 350.org

High impact sessions on the

SDGs, Climate and

individual/school action led by

Pete Milne (Founder &

Director Target4Green) with

the participation of Ida Tillisch

(Director General EWS-

WWF), Tatiana Antonelli

(Founder Goumbook) and

Nicolas Delaunay (Founder

Values Added)

Pledges, personal

perspectives & team building

activities around climate &

the SDGs

Students interacted with

companies such as

Liquid of Life, Smart4Power,

showcasing

their sustainable solutions

"Thank you and congratulations for today's event. We got a great deal out of it, lots of engaged pupils and staff, new and familiar faces and an extra bonus was the visit of Lord Montagu whose marina, Bucklers Hard, we audited for environmental standards just three weeks ago. The event, as we suspected, was a great fit with our remit - the boating sector so all in all a very valuable day Jane Swan, Project Manager, The Green Blue

'I too have felt inspired by the day and have been discussing future possibilities with the students and my colleagues all day. All your hard work and effort has had a huge impact already....looking forward to continuing the momentum that you have created.' Roma Williams, Teacher at Applemore College

Feedback from Second Symposium at Walhampton School, UK on 16th June

2016 : 7 schools, 200 students, 25 exhibitors

'One of the things that struck me the most was how many animals were killed because we want them as food or medicine or even just for fun..' Year 6 Walhampton student

'We have to save the planet because we are the next generation‘ Year 7 Walhampton student.

‘Well done on delivering a successful and thought-provoking Beyond COP 21 Symposium; the students, Tom and myself had

a thoroughly enriching day.’

Shama Abdul Rehman Environment Coordinator, Nord Anglia International School

Feedback from Third Symposium at GEMS New Millennium School, Dubai on 25th September 2016 :

6 schools, 200 students, 10 exhibitors

Sampurna Dutta, 14, Gems New Millennium School

‘We see the world as a beautiful place

but rarely look deep or see how our actions are harming the world. The least

we can do is try not too use excessive amounts of things that are harmful to the

place we call home. If we are less wasteful personally, we can spread the word in neighbourhoods and across the

country.’

‘Huge congratulations to

Target4Green, the teachers, students and all who participated for an excellent event today! What great energy and

initiatives you all contributed. Thank you for the opportunity to

participate.’

Sheena Khan Education and Awareness

Officer Emirates Green Building

Council

4th Symposium in Amman,

Jordan

Ahliyyah School for Girls

16th February 2017 Over 200 students and 30

teachers

from 8 schools

Key note by H.E. Dr. Yasin

Al Khayyat, Minister of

Environment

15 companies and

organisations showcasing at

the exhibition

Workshops run by

Children’s Museum and

Royal Marine Conservation

Society( National Operator

for Eco-Schools Jordan)

Pledges, mind-mapping and

poetry activities for

students.

5th Symposium in Ajman, UAE

Ajman Academy

8th February 2018

130 students

from 6 schools in Dubai and Ajman

and over 500 students from Ajman

Academy visiting the exhibition

10 companies and organisations

represented at the exhibition/panel

session, including Eco-Schools UAE,

Bee’ah, Sustainable City, Goumbook,

TerraLoop and EWS-WWF.

Workshops run by Beacon Energy

Solutions and Al Serkal’s Blue

Pledges, mind-mapping and role play

activities for students.

Media link:

https://www.thenational.ae/uae/environment/uae

-symposium-teaches-children-to-preserve-the-

planet-s-resources-1.703216

6th Symposium in Singapore at

Tanglin Trust School

23rd March 2018

130 students

from 9 local and international schools

in Singapore, and 20 exhibitors

Organisations represented diverse

areas such as food waste

management, animal rescue,

renewable energy, shark

conservation, sustainable agriculture,

green buildings and air pollution

reduction.

Workshops run by WFUNA Youth

Ambassadors and Compass

Education

Media link:

https://www.theeducatoronline.com/asia/news/s

chool-to-host-major-sustainability-event/247892

Many thanks for selecting me to take part

in the COP21 Symposium. I absolutely

loved the event and feel that I honestly

learned a lot of new and interesting

information that I wish to share with the

rest of my class next week.

Year 7 Tanglin student

7th Symposium in UAE at

American University of Sharjah

24th April 2018

120 students

from 6 international schools in UAE,

and 12 exhibitors

Exhibitors included Bee’ah, Eco-Schools

UAE, TerraLoop, Beacon Energy and The

Sustainable City, Dubai

Workshops run by UNGC Youth

Ambassadors and Eedama

Media link:

https://www.aus.edu/media/news/beyond-

cop21-symposium-hosted-at-aus-inspires-

students-to-address-global-climate-change

Sponsored by:

Benefits for Participating

Companies and

Organisations

By reaching the hearts and minds of the youth around climate and

sustainability issues, participants will:

inspire positive action around issues of relevance for them:

e. g. climate change and the role of education for the SDGs* as a

force of social/environmental progress

exhibit / showcase social and environmental initiatives in the

host university/college’s local area

demonstrate corporate citizenship and leadership by contributing to

the development of youth’s sense of global citizenship and

shared environmental responsibility

*Sustainable Development Goals, aka the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda

Proposed Agenda

8:30 – 9:00 Arrival, Registration and Networking

9:00 - 9:15 Welcome and pre-recorded message from Bill McKibben, Founder of 350.org

9:15 – 9:45 UNDERSTANDING LOCAL AND GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES- a high impact and thought-provoking presentation that looks at

the state of the planet.

9:45- 10:00 PLEDGES - making a choice to change. Each student writes their thoughts on a banner that stretches right around the main entrance

area.

10:00- 10:20 BREAK

10:20- 10.40 WHAT DO THE SDGs mean and how will they affect our future?

The key agreements made at COP 21 in Paris are also shared and linked to Article 12 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child

that states that 'You have the right to give your opinion, and for adults to listen and take it seriously’

10.40- 11:20 SHARING A VOICE: Groups of students, pre-allocated within their own school, will work together and present, in a creative way,

their ideas and thoughts on the SDGs through mind-mapping and poetry

11:20-12:30 PERSONAL PERSPECTIVES ON THE ENVIRONMENT - a focus on our own attitudes, awareness and choices we make. Expert guest

speakers share their thoughts and experiences. Q and A session to panel

12:30- 1:15 LUNCH

1.15- 1.30 Introduction to the group project tasks

1.30- 3.30 Various activities will take part based on pre-allocated mixed school groups. Activities will include team building/workshops based

on various environmental themes; environmental role play and interaction with sustainable companies.

3.30-3.45 BREAK

3.45- 4.15 Plenary session to include reflections from students

3.45- 5.00

SUSTAINABILITY SHOWCASE EXHIBITION OPEN TO PARENTS

Parents from host school are welcome to visit the exhibition and pick up their children from school

SUSTAINABILITY SHOWCASE

Throughout the course of the Symposium, sustainable companies and organisations will have an interactive exhibition set up to showcase their products and services to students, parents and teachers.

These could include local and international NGOs, local government authorities and companies involved with renewable energy, water conservation, sustainable design and build, waste reduction, local sustainable products, sustainably focused educational programmes etc.

Participation fees for companies will go to the host to cover certain costs.

Example timetable:

11.00- 1.30 - Pupils of host school visit with teachers( those not participating in the Symposium.)

1.30-3.30- Symposium students visit as a round robin afternoon activity with staff

3.45-4.15 - All participating students gather for the plenary in the main part of school to share thoughts on what they have learnt about the event.

3.45- 5.00- Sustainability Showcase is open to parents.

Because the focus for the day is on the post COP 21 agenda, as well as the Sustainable Development Goals, it is important for the students to be able to link the SDGs to the work these companies/organisations are all doing.

During the 1.30- 3.30 sessions, students will be asked to investigate what particular SDGs link best with each exhibitor.

Overview of Inclusion

Education and Outreach/Facilitation includes:  

Production of presentation materials and resources; preparation, organisation and facilitation of the Beyond COP 21 Symposium- remote preparation( equivalent of 5 days) and 3 days on-site.

Communication with and organisation of host school/ university/college and local schools/colleges participating in the Symposium

Research of and communication with local sustainable companies and organisations to participate in the Sustainability Showcase part of the day’s programme; sourcing of and organisation of guest speakers.

Regular social media updates and inclusion in newsletters and other promotional materials

Does not include:

Refreshments and lunch for participants

Contact me for further details and bookings

Peter Milne, Founder/Director of Target4Green

www.target4green.com

Contact us:

Email: peter@target4green.com

Mobile: +44 7495 602526

Skype: petermilne4